Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-06-25
G 0-OP Il R A TITO N .
THE ROCHDALE cos PECU-
LIAR SORT OF SUCCESS.
Sham Cooperation No Remedy For
The Wage working Masses How
English Mobiles and Clergy
Gullcd Trade Unions.
Bright Ideas.
BY DIR. A. DOUAI.


There is nothing so effective as
cooperation of workers fora com
mon purpose, be it the purpose of
increasing their working force, or Of
purchasing victuals and other neccs-
stiles pure, in full weight and genu
inc, or of ''spreadlng the light
among their fellow sufferers, or of
unitedly wlthstanding aggression.
But the idea that wage laborers
could save their earnings to such a
degree as to produce u large common
capital and then to begin, with this
capital, production on large scale
so as to ultimately drive out of all
industries the large capitals of their
present "masters' or employers, and
thus abolish wages labor and the
war of competition, this idea did not,
nor could not, originate in any work
mans brain. Workmcn know, at
least, enough of the "stubborn facts"
of real life, and do not indulge in
building castles in the air.
The "Rochdale Pioneers" as the
twenty-eight wage-slaves called them
selves, who, in 1898, founded in
Great Britain the first society for
cheap acquisition and distribution
of yictuals of the genuine kind, did
not indulge in the dream Of thus
laying foundation on u large scale.
They wished simply to buy the
yictuals and clothing at wholesale
rates and to sell them among their
own numbers at the market price,
and to save capital enough, in this
way, to enlarge their stores for the
benefit of their fellow laborcrs. As
soon us possible they founded also
reading and meeting rooms, Libraries
and lectures in order to wcan the
poor from taverns and rum, and to
excite in them higher wants and
pleasures.
This was certainly most praise
worthy, and it did great good to
many. 1t is true, however, that this
remedy for the social ills cannot turn
out generally, or universally, bene-
fetal. For whatever tends to rem
dering the wants of all the workers
cheaper, must-under the system Of
capitalistic robbery-also lead to
lowering the rate of wages. So what
is gained at one end, is lost at the
other. But in the beginning their
scheme worked we'll because in Eng
land, at the same time, trades unions
multiplied, increased, and were Ie-
galized, which kept the rate of wages
from sinking. The number of CO.
operators in 1885 was more than
600, 900, and their share capital
about fifteen million dollars.
A bright idea very soon struck the
minds of some noblemen and clergy
men, such as Sir Thomas Hughes,
John Jacob Holyoke, and others.
Here was a chance to wean the work
men from socialistic leanings such as
the Chartists professed, and from
revolutionary proceedings. They
mingled with the "Pioneers," gave
them lectures in political economy,
and taught them that by their own
self-help they might save capital
enough to begin productive cooper
alton on an eyer-lncreaslng scale and
thus ultimately get rid of employers
and become their own employers and
employees, and thus drive out alto
gether competition and profit mon
gerlng.
Such ideas could have originated
with learned men only. They re-
mind one of Baron Munchausen's
tale of how he was once stuck in
swamp up to his arm-plts; but, be-
ing strong and resolute fellow, he
managed to draw himself out by his
own hairlocks.
Under system of capitallstic pro-
duction and distribution and legal